22:1 Then the Israelites traveled to the plains of Moab and camped along the Jordan across from Jericho.
The NIV Book of Numbers , Chapter 22 , Verse 1 , Then the Israelites traveled to the plains of Moab and camped along the Jordan across from Jericho.
22:2 Now Balak son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites,
The NIV Book of Numbers , Chapter 22 , Verse 2 , Now Balak son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites,
22:3 and Moab was terrified because there were so many people. Indeed, Moab was filled with dread because of the Israelites.
The NIV Book of Numbers , Chapter 22 , Verse 3 , and Moab was terrified because there were so many people. Indeed, Moab was filled with dread because of the Israelites.
22:4 The Moabites said to the elders of Midian, 'This horde is going to lick up everything around us, as an ox licks up the grass of the field.' So Balak son of Zippor, who was king of Moab at that time,
The NIV Book of Numbers , Chapter 22 , Verse 4 , The Moabites said to the elders of Midian, 'This horde is going to lick up everything around us, as an ox licks up the grass of the field.' So Balak son of Zippor, who was king of Moab at that time,
22:5 sent messengers to summon Balaam son of Beor, who was at Pethor, near the River, in his native land. Balak said: 'A people has come out of Egypt; they cover the face of the land and have settled next to me.
The NIV Book of Numbers , Chapter 22 , Verse 5 , sent messengers to summon Balaam son of Beor, who was at Pethor, near the River, in his native land. Balak said: 'A people has come out of Egypt; they cover the face of the land and have settled next to me.
22:6 Now come and put a curse on these people, because they are too powerful for me. Perhaps then I will be able to defeat them and drive them out of the country. For I know that those you bless are blessed, and those you curse are cursed.'
The NIV Book of Numbers , Chapter 22 , Verse 6 , Now come and put a curse on these people, because they are too powerful for me. Perhaps then I will be able to defeat them and drive them out of the country. For I know that those you bless are blessed, and those you curse are cursed.'
22:7 The elders of Moab and Midian left, taking with them the fee for divination. When they came to Balaam, they told him what Balak had said.
The NIV Book of Numbers , Chapter 22 , Verse 7 , The elders of Moab and Midian left, taking with them the fee for divination. When they came to Balaam, they told him what Balak had said.
22:8 'Spend the night here,' Balaam said to them, 'and I will bring you back the answer the LORD gives me.' So the Moabite princes stayed with him.
The NIV Book of Numbers , Chapter 22 , Verse 8 , 'Spend the night here,' Balaam said to them, 'and I will bring you back the answer the LORD gives me.' So the Moabite princes stayed with him.
22:9 God came to Balaam and asked, 'Who are these men with you?'
The NIV Book of Numbers , Chapter 22 , Verse 9 , God came to Balaam and asked, 'Who are these men with you?'
22:10 Balaam said to God, 'Balak son of Zippor, king of Moab, sent me this message:
The NIV Book of Numbers , Chapter 22 , Verse 10 , Balaam said to God, 'Balak son of Zippor, king of Moab, sent me this message:
22:11 'A people that has come out of Egypt covers the face of the land. Now come and put a curse on them for me. Perhaps then I will be able to fight them and drive them away.''
The NIV Book of Numbers , Chapter 22 , Verse 11 , 'A people that has come out of Egypt covers the face of the land. Now come and put a curse on them for me. Perhaps then I will be able to fight them and drive them away.''
22:12 But God said to Balaam, 'Do not go with them. You must not put a curse on those people, because they are blessed.'
The NIV Book of Numbers , Chapter 22 , Verse 12 , But God said to Balaam, 'Do not go with them. You must not put a curse on those people, because they are blessed.'
22:13 The next morning Balaam got up and said to Balak's princes, 'Go back to your own country, for the LORD has refused to let me go with you.'
The NIV Book of Numbers , Chapter 22 , Verse 13 , The next morning Balaam got up and said to Balak's princes, 'Go back to your own country, for the LORD has refused to let me go with you.'
22:14 So the Moabite princes returned to Balak and said, 'Balaam refused to come with us.'
The NIV Book of Numbers , Chapter 22 , Verse 14 , So the Moabite princes returned to Balak and said, 'Balaam refused to come with us.'
22:15 Then Balak sent other princes, more numerous and more distinguished than the first.
The NIV Book of Numbers , Chapter 22 , Verse 15 , Then Balak sent other princes, more numerous and more distinguished than the first.
22:16 They came to Balaam and said: 'This is what Balak son of Zippor says: Do not let anything keep you from coming to me,
The NIV Book of Numbers , Chapter 22 , Verse 16 , They came to Balaam and said: 'This is what Balak son of Zippor says: Do not let anything keep you from coming to me,
22:17 because I will reward you handsomely and do whatever you say. Come and put a curse on these people for me.'
The NIV Book of Numbers , Chapter 22 , Verse 17 , because I will reward you handsomely and do whatever you say. Come and put a curse on these people for me.'
22:18 But Balaam answered them, 'Even if Balak gave me his palace filled with silver and gold, I could not do anything great or small to go beyond the command of the LORD my God.
The NIV Book of Numbers , Chapter 22 , Verse 18 , But Balaam answered them, 'Even if Balak gave me his palace filled with silver and gold, I could not do anything great or small to go beyond the command of the LORD my God.
22:19 Now stay here tonight as the others did, and I will find out what else the LORD will tell me.'
The NIV Book of Numbers , Chapter 22 , Verse 19 , Now stay here tonight as the others did, and I will find out what else the LORD will tell me.'
22:20 That night God came to Balaam and said, 'Since these men have come to summon you, go with them, but do only what I tell you.'
The NIV Book of Numbers , Chapter 22 , Verse 20 , That night God came to Balaam and said, 'Since these men have come to summon you, go with them, but do only what I tell you.'
22:21 Balaam got up in the morning, saddled his donkey and went with the princes of Moab.
The NIV Book of Numbers , Chapter 22 , Verse 21 , Balaam got up in the morning, saddled his donkey and went with the princes of Moab.
22:22 But God was very angry when he went, and the angel of the LORD stood in the road to oppose him. Balaam was riding on his donkey, and his two servants were with him.
The NIV Book of Numbers , Chapter 22 , Verse 22 , But God was very angry when he went, and the angel of the LORD stood in the road to oppose him. Balaam was riding on his donkey, and his two servants were with him.
22:23 When the donkey saw the angel of the LORD standing in the road with a drawn sword in his hand, she turned off the road into a field. Balaam beat her to get her back on the road.
The NIV Book of Numbers , Chapter 22 , Verse 23 , When the donkey saw the angel of the LORD standing in the road with a drawn sword in his hand, she turned off the road into a field. Balaam beat her to get her back on the road.
22:24 Then the angel of the LORD stood in a narrow path between two vineyards, with walls on both sides.
The NIV Book of Numbers , Chapter 22 , Verse 24 , Then the angel of the LORD stood in a narrow path between two vineyards, with walls on both sides.
22:25 When the donkey saw the angel of the LORD, she pressed close to the wall, crushing Balaam's foot against it. So he beat her again.
The NIV Book of Numbers , Chapter 22 , Verse 25 , When the donkey saw the angel of the LORD, she pressed close to the wall, crushing Balaam's foot against it. So he beat her again.
22:26 Then the angel of the LORD moved on ahead and stood in a narrow place where there was no room to turn, either to the right or to the left.
The NIV Book of Numbers , Chapter 22 , Verse 26 , Then the angel of the LORD moved on ahead and stood in a narrow place where there was no room to turn, either to the right or to the left.
22:27 When the donkey saw the angel of the LORD, she lay down under Balaam, and he was angry and beat her with his staff.
The NIV Book of Numbers , Chapter 22 , Verse 27 , When the donkey saw the angel of the LORD, she lay down under Balaam, and he was angry and beat her with his staff.
22:28 Then the LORD opened the donkey's mouth, and she said to Balaam, 'What have I done to you to make you beat me these three times?'
The NIV Book of Numbers , Chapter 22 , Verse 28 , Then the LORD opened the donkey's mouth, and she said to Balaam, 'What have I done to you to make you beat me these three times?'
22:29 Balaam answered the donkey, 'You have made a fool of me! If I had a sword in my hand, I would kill you right now.'
The NIV Book of Numbers , Chapter 22 , Verse 29 , Balaam answered the donkey, 'You have made a fool of me! If I had a sword in my hand, I would kill you right now.'
22:30 The donkey said to Balaam, 'Am I not your own donkey, which you have always ridden, to this day? Have I been in the habit of doing this to you?' 'No,' he said.
The NIV Book of Numbers , Chapter 22 , Verse 30 , The donkey said to Balaam, 'Am I not your own donkey, which you have always ridden, to this day? Have I been in the habit of doing this to you?' 'No,' he said.
22:31 Then the LORD opened Balaam's eyes, and he saw the angel of the LORD standing in the road with his sword drawn. So he bowed low and fell facedown.
The NIV Book of Numbers , Chapter 22 , Verse 31 , Then the LORD opened Balaam's eyes, and he saw the angel of the LORD standing in the road with his sword drawn. So he bowed low and fell facedown.
22:32 The angel of the LORD asked him, 'Why have you beaten your donkey these three times? I have come here to oppose you because your path is a reckless one before me.
The NIV Book of Numbers , Chapter 22 , Verse 32 , The angel of the LORD asked him, 'Why have you beaten your donkey these three times? I have come here to oppose you because your path is a reckless one before me.
22:33 The donkey saw me and turned away from me these three times. If she had not turned away, I would certainly have killed you by now, but I would have spared her.'
The NIV Book of Numbers , Chapter 22 , Verse 33 , The donkey saw me and turned away from me these three times. If she had not turned away, I would certainly have killed you by now, but I would have spared her.'
22:34 Balaam said to the angel of the LORD, 'I have sinned. I did not realize you were standing in the road to oppose me. Now if you are displeased, I will go back.'
The NIV Book of Numbers , Chapter 22 , Verse 34 , Balaam said to the angel of the LORD, 'I have sinned. I did not realize you were standing in the road to oppose me. Now if you are displeased, I will go back.'
22:35 The angel of the LORD said to Balaam, 'Go with the men, but speak only what I tell you.' So Balaam went with the princes of Balak.
The NIV Book of Numbers , Chapter 22 , Verse 35 , The angel of the LORD said to Balaam, 'Go with the men, but speak only what I tell you.' So Balaam went with the princes of Balak.
22:36 When Balak heard that Balaam was coming, he went out to meet him at the Moabite town on the Arnon border, at the edge of his territory.
The NIV Book of Numbers , Chapter 22 , Verse 36 , When Balak heard that Balaam was coming, he went out to meet him at the Moabite town on the Arnon border, at the edge of his territory.
22:37 Balak said to Balaam, 'Did I not send you an urgent summons? Why didn't you come to me? Am I really not able to reward you?'
The NIV Book of Numbers , Chapter 22 , Verse 37 , Balak said to Balaam, 'Did I not send you an urgent summons? Why didn't you come to me? Am I really not able to reward you?'
22:38 'Well, I have come to you now,' Balaam replied. 'But can I say just anything? I must speak only what God puts in my mouth.'
The NIV Book of Numbers , Chapter 22 , Verse 38 , 'Well, I have come to you now,' Balaam replied. 'But can I say just anything? I must speak only what God puts in my mouth.'
22:39 Then Balaam went with Balak to Kiriath Huzoth.
The NIV Book of Numbers , Chapter 22 , Verse 39 , Then Balaam went with Balak to Kiriath Huzoth.
22:40 Balak sacrificed cattle and sheep, and gave some to Balaam and the princes who were with him.
The NIV Book of Numbers , Chapter 22 , Verse 40 , Balak sacrificed cattle and sheep, and gave some to Balaam and the princes who were with him.
22:41 The next morning Balak took Balaam up to Bamoth Baal, and from there he saw part of the people.
The NIV Book of Numbers , Chapter 22 , Verse 41 , The next morning Balak took Balaam up to Bamoth Baal, and from there he saw part of the people.
